Max Scaff Pty Ltd and Camillo Builders Pty Ltd have both been fined for safety breaches after a carpenter died in a suspected scaffold fall at a housing development site that had seen repeated occurrences of unauthorised interference with scaffolding.
In August 2021 a carpenter was found unconscious on the ground below scaffolding at the site, with head injuries consistent with a fall of more than two metres – he later died in hospital. A board from the scaffolding above the worker and the tie bar that would normally have kept it in place were lying on the ground nearby.
On several occasions over the previous months Max Scaff employees had witnessed scaffolding parts being removed or missing, including multiple ties being removed, and plastering contractors and window installers removing handrails.
Workers reported finding handrails on the ground and also reported scaffold interference to Camillo Builders’ site safety representative. Both Max Scaff and Camillo Builders failed to provide a system for shutting of all levels of scaffold where interference had been detected until after it was inspected by a qualified inspector.
The court heard that it was reasonably practicable for Camillo Builders to investigate each reported incidence of scaffold interference and make recommendations for corrective action.
To minimise the risk of death or injury when altering scaffold, duty holders should:
- Consult the scaffold supplier/designer before making any alterations.
- Ensure a system of work is in place that only allows a suitably competent person(s) to alter scaffold.
- Only alter scaffold in accordance with the scaffold plan or manufacturer’s specifications.
- Ensure alterations do not compromise the scaffold’s structural integrity.
- Have systems in place, such as regular inspections, to identify unauthorised interference with the scaffold.
- Use anti-tamper devices to prevent unauthorised alterations.
Both businesses were convicted of failing to ensure that persons other than employees were not exposed to health and safety risks, with Max Scaff fined $160,000 and Camillo Builders fined $240,000.
Read more: $400,000 in fines for scaffolding safety failings prior to fatality | WorkSafe Victoria
Read about the updated Scaffolding Industry Standard here